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CRG PhD information Wiki
Welcome to the CRG PhD information Wiki This page is a knowledge repository for all PhD students at the CRG. Here you can find information about UPF University, Barcelona, CRG and personal hints. Everybody is welcome to share and edit it. Accomodation It is not an easy task to look for an apartment in Barcelona. However it is not as difficult as some people claim. The best place to start is the internet both for shared flats and apartments. Apart from that, you can also check pin walls of different universities and of the canteen on the ground floor. Be careful, some advertisements in the internet can be fake. This is especially the case with www.loquo.com but it can happen on any webpage. Never pay for something that you have not visited personally. If you do not trust your judgement, it might be safer to rent an apartment or a room over an agency, but you will have to pay the fee (usually one month’s rent). For many people, arriving from abroad the term “aval” will be rather unfamiliar. Wikipedia explains it as follows: “It involves an instrument by which the third party (guarantor) commits himself to cover the payment of the amount of the credit title and its interest, in case the original debtor (guarantee) does not fulfill his or her obligation.” In the case of renting an apartment this involves a fixed amount of money (usually one month’s rent) which will be blocked on your bank account for the purpose of paying the rent to the landlord. The necessary paperwork has to be signed by the tenant’s bank and a notary. The interest on the fixed money cannot be collected but is used to pay the fees on maintaining the “aval”. The fee for the establishment of an “aval” amounts to ±100€. In order to avoid the hassle, you can try to find a nice landlord who will not ask for an aval or look for shared apartments. An “aval” should not be mistaken for a deposit (fianza) which has to be paid in addition. This serves as a guarantee to cover any possible damage to the apartment. The landlord has the right to only one month's rent as deposit. There can be unforeseen problems like noise and poor maintenance of your apartment. Therefore, try to have a reasonable notice period which gives you the flexibility to change the flat if required. Importantly, READ YOUR CONTRACT so you are aware of your rights. Here is a list of webpages to look for apartments or shared flats which are mostly in Spanish. However, some of the listed websites have English option. www.pisos.com www.idealista.com www.loquo.com www.yaencontre.com www.enalquiler.com inmo.clasificados.es www.santjordi.org www.bcn-housing-students.com www.lloguerjove.com/en/Intro.jsp barcelona.campusanuncios.com/Ofertahabitacion-Barcelona-2-5.html www.compartimoscasa.com www.coleadministradors.com www.shbarcelona.com Last but not the least; the Spanish government publishes the information (size, map, and construction date) of almost all apartments in Barcelona. All you need to do is access https://www1.sedecatastro.gob.es/OVCFrames.aspx?TIPO=CONSULTA. Official documents – easy and fast These are the official documents you'll need: NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) - It will be your identifaction number in Spain NIF (Número de Identificacióbn Fiscal) - This is your number in the Spanish Social Security system and it will indetify you as a tax payer Empadronamiento - You'll have to register in your local council and this proves you leave here CatSalut - National Health service All this information and how to get them will be provided by the Human Resources department of CRG. Please contact them without hesitation if you have any doubt. Visit them in the room 500.04 or email Marc González (marc.gonzalez@crg.eu) if you have questions. There's also a very good manual in our intranet. Please download it from here: http://pasteur.crg.es/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/120460.PDF 'Feedback and tricks you would like to share:' Please write here all the information you think it could help the other students getting their doccumentation. How was your experience? CRG/PRBB activities 'Beach Volley Tournament' Others… 'Theatre' 'Choir' PRBB Intervals The PRBB Intervals Programme offers a wide range of workshops, courses and lectures that give you the opportunity to improve your communication skills, learn how to write grant proposals, or even how to make your own movies! These are few examples, we recommend you to visit the website to stay updated with the open acitivities that are offered. http://www.prbb.org/intervals Going out in Barcelona You can pick the monthly guide ‘GuideOut’ to what is happening in Barcelona from the reception on the ground floor. EATING Around CRG: Delicamon: 3 min from CRG. Nice terrace to have lunch (menu: 7€) calle de la Marina, 19 UPF-Campus Jaume I: Student’s canteen. You can get a much bigger portion with friendly staff for just 0.15 cent more! Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27 Sal cafè: Nice place to have lunch on the beach (around 10€) Passeig marítim s/n (200 m south of Hospital del mar) http://www.salcafe.com/ Barceloneta: Bitacora: Tapas bar with a pleasant atmosphere. Balboa, 3 Jaica: Cheap and lively tapas bar. Ginebrea, 13 Bombeta: One of the best tapas bar in the city Maquinista, 3 DRINKING Boadas: Probably the best cocktail bar in Barcelona. Tallers, 1 Gimlet: Fashionable cocktail bar located in el Born Rec, 24 Kentucky: Open late at night. Arc del teatre, 11 Bar Marsella: Famous bar specializing in absinthe. Sant Pau , 65 Mirablau: Excellent view of Barcelona. Pl. Doctor Andreu CLUBS Bikini: Sophisticated, nearby, especially active on Wednesday nights. [http://www.bikinibcn.com/ www.bikini'''bcn.com/] Avda. Diagonal, 547 '''Apolo: Old theatre converted to one of the classical Barcelona's clubs, try also La dos. http://www.sala-apolo.com Nou de la rambla, 113 Karma: Mythical disco located in the center of Barcelona. www.karmadisco.com/ Plaza Real, 10 Moog: Techno club located in the center of the city. www.masimas.com/moog/noflash.html Arc del teatre, 3 Magic: Friendly club 10 min walking from CRG. http://www.magic-club.net/ Passeig Picasso, 40 Razzmatazz: Classical Barcelona club and concert scene. http://www.salarazzmatazz.com/ Almogàvers, 122 MUSEUMS Caixa Forum (temporary art exhibitions, free of charge): http://www.fundacio.lacaixa.es/nuestroscentros/caixaforumbarcelona/caixaforumbarcelona_ca.html La Pedrera (usually one temporary retrospective exhibition, free of charge): http://obrasocial.caixacatalunya.es/osocial/main.html MACBA (contemporary art museum): http://www.macba.cat/controller.php CCCB (contemporary culture centre): http://www.cccb.org/ca/ Fundació Joan Miró (permanent and temporary exhibitions, interesting architecture): http://www.fundaciomiro-bcn.org/ Fundació Antoni Tàpies (permanent and temporary exhibition, interesting architecture): http://www.fundaciotapies.org/site/spip.php?rubrique65 Picasso Museum (a must, but always crowded): http://www.museupicasso.bcn.es/en/ CosmoCaixa (science museum): http://obrasocial.lacaixa.es/nuestroscentros/cosmocaixabarcelona/cosmocaixabarcelona_ca.html Tips to survive Barcelona Barcelona is possibly Europe´s capital of pickpockets. To prepare you for the worst, we have included some classical techniques of stealing. The cigarette trick A friendly looking guy on the street comes to ask you for a cigarette. After you kindly offered him one, he wants to shake your hand while showing you a funny way to clap. This funny way normally includes some messing around with the legs, while looking extremely silly. Although at first, you might think what a weirdo, you realize after 10 seconds that your wallet is no longer in your pocket and suddenly you feel like the dumb guy. If someone close to you starts to do strange things to attract attention, make sure you wallet is safe. The asking for the way trick A guy comes to you to ask for the way. When you turn around to show him the way, he (or his accomplice) tries to grab your bag. The post card trick You sit in a bar and your mobile lies on the table. A guy comes to your table to offer you some oversized postcards that he holds over your cell phone in order to retrieve it. Bars and bags The most common way to lose your bag is going to a bar and not watching it at all times. Especially in situations when rose sellers come to your table, keep an eye on your belongings. Some of them have friends which steal the bags (of course, this is not true for every rose-seller, but there are some black sheep) The metro Make sure you carry your bag in the front of you in the metro and keep it always closed to avoid robbery in a crowded metro. Act like a local It is usually the tourists which are primary targets for pickpockets. Therefore, pretending to be a local might keep you out of trouble. Just put on a face saying: “I know where I am going” and you will be fine. Although after reading this you might be a bit paranoid, don´t worry too much. The best way is not to take valuable things with you and be vigilant when people on the street come to ask you for something. Some more interesting links WORK * “CRG Becaris” – mail to the PhD student community of the CRG * “CRG” – mail to the whole CRG community * UPF PhD thesis template - A4 template here: http://www.upf.edu/bibtic/en/guiesiajudes/eines/tesis/dina4.html (There are templates for B5 available as well in case you prefere that ones) * FORMATION * http://www.bcn.es/centrescivics/es/ - the “centre civic” offers many different courses for low money covering from yoga or dancing classes to furniture restoration * http://www.eoibd.cat/ - “escuela oficial de idiomas” – have a look on the different language courses that are offered * http://www.bcn.es/biblioteques/ - check out all the libraries in Barcelona and their activities HEALTH * http://w3.bcn.es/XMLServeis/XMLHomeLinkPl/0,4022,250572327_250594088_2,00.html – find the closest FIRST AID CENTRE (“CAP” – Centro de Atencion Primaria) to your place Latest activity Category:Browse Category:General information Category:UPF Category:CRG Category:Barcelona